Folding box.



H; E. STEPPBN.

FOLDING BOX.

APPLIOATION'IILED JUNE 29, 1910.

1,001,781. Patented Aug. 29, 1911. v

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APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1910.

1,001,781. Patented Aug. 29; 1911.

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LUMBIA PMNOGRAPM CO.,WASHINIJTON D C HENRY E. srnrnnn, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF T0 HENRY J.

STEFFEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 29, 1910.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911. Serial No. 569,583.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HENRY E.

residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawin 's.

This invention relates to improvements in folding boxes and has for its object the provision of a cardboard box the side walls of which are formed with extensions adapted to fold inwardly upon the ends of the box, said ends having flaps to fold downwardly upon the extensions of the side walls, said side walls being formed with slits and resilient tabs, said slits receiving tongues on the extensions of the side walls for engagement by said tabs.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cardboard box constructed in accordance with my invention, the walls thereof being erected; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of one of the end walls of the box; and Fig. 5 is a detail fragmentary perspective view of one of the side walls.

Referring more particularly to the drawing 5 indicates the bottom or body of the box, and 6 and 7 the side and end walls respectively.

The box is adapted to be formed from a sheet of cardboard and the end and side walls bent upwardly from the body of the box. The side walls 6 are formed at each of their ends with the flaps 8 which, when the walls are arranged in assembled position are adapted to extend inwardly in opposite directions and be disposed upon the end walls 7 of the box. Approximately at the center of each of the flaps 8 is cuta tongue 9, creased to be folded at 10 and 11. It will be noted that the upper edges of the flaps 8 are slightly below the upper edges of the side walls proper. By thus reducing the width of the flaps 8, the flaps 12 on the ends 7 of the box may be folded over upon the flaps and when so arranged the edges of the ends and sides will be disposed in the same plane, the difference in width of the flaps 8 and walls 7 being substantially the thick ness of the cardboard.

At a point adjacent to each end of the flaps 12, the same are cut away or slotted as shown at 13. The upper longitudinal edge of the flap 12 is recessed as at 14, said recesses being in line with the slots 13. Between the recess 14: and slot 13 a narrow connecting strip of cardboard 15 remains at each end of which is formed a tab 16 which extends into the ends of the slot 13 and is normally disposed in the same plane with the body of the flap 12. These tabs are adapted to engage with the tongue 9 after the same is inserted through the slot, said tabs bearing upon the tongue with sufficient pressure to prevent its accidental removal from the slot 13.

When setting up the box, the side and end walls are folded up upon the edges of the bottom 5 and the flaps 8 disposed upon the inner faces of the end walls 7 as previously stated. The flaps 12 on the end walls are then folded over and downwardly upon said corner flaps. The tongues 9 are pulled outwardly from the flaps 8 and bent upon themselves at 11 so that as the flap 12 moves downwardly, the end of the tongue 9 will pass through the slot 13 in said flap. Each of the tongues 9 is successively extended through their respective slots in the end flaps and when so arranged, the lower fold or crease 10 which connects the tongues to the flaps 8 is on a line with the base of the recesses 14 formed in the edge of the flaps 12, the lower edge of the flap 12 extending below the tongue beyond the side edges thereof. The other creases or folds 11 of the tongues are disposed at the upper edges of the slots 13, the tabs 16 bearing upon the tongues at said creases. These tabs have enough resiliency to firmly engage and press upon the end portions of the tongues 9 so as to prevent the same from buckling or folding upon themselves at the creases 11.

From the above it will be obvious that by means of my improved box construction, the boundary walls of the box may be readily arranged and securely retained in their assembled positions. The box may, however, be easily and quickly collapsed by moving the tongues 9 outwardly, said tongues folding at the creases 11, and their end portions moving out of the slots 13. The flaps 12 are also preferably formed at their ends with the extensions 17 which are adapted to be disposed upon the inner faces of the sides 6 of the box when the walls thereof are assembled. These extensions 17 are, however, not essential to the box construction and may be eliminated if desired.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the same is susceptible of various changes in the form, proportions anddetails of construction without de aarting from the essential feature or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is As a new article of manufacture, a folding box having side and end walls, said end walls each having a flap on its upper edge, said side walls having corner flaps on their ends extending inwardly upon the end walls, said end flaps extending over the upper edges of the corner flaps and disposed upon theirinner faces, said end flaps having longitudinal slots adjacent to each end and recesses in the edges thereof in line with said slots, resilient tabs formed on the end flaps, one of said tabs extending into each end of the slots in said flaps, and a tongue out out from each of said corner flaps and creased intermediate of its ends and at its point of connection to the flap, said tongues being adapted for insertion through the slots in the end flaps, the ends thereof closely engaging the flaps and end walls of the box, the crease at the junction of said tongues with the flaps being disposed against the edge of the recesses in the end flaps, the resilient tabs extending into the ends of the slots in the corner flaps bearing directly upon the intermediate crease of the tongues, said intermediate creases being in line with the upper edges of the slots in the end flaps when the tongues are in interlocked engagement with said flaps,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY E. STEFFEN.

\Vitnesses:

HARRY ANDERSON, B. SPLITI-IOFF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for' five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

